I hope its OK to post my question here. I did a search and found nothing in the results.

I have a new flash fiction (not necessarily my first although I just recently discovered that was what the shorter stories are called) but I am struggling with a title. I have read over it and pasted it into the hemingwayapp program and edited what it suggested, and yet still my work sits there with no title. How do you all come up with titles for your flash pieces?

LeadHead

12-09-2015, 08:01 AM

Usually my flash pieces are based on prompts I've read somewhere, so I use the prompt as a placeholder.... and then never change it :p. In general, I'd say it's like anything else in writing - a mixture of inspiration and hard work :)

Glyax

12-10-2015, 09:19 AM

They just kind of come to me, I'm like the name rater guy in pokemon hahaha

Glass Valkyrie

12-10-2015, 06:57 PM

Haha, very nice! Sometimes I will have a title magically come to me for something I'm working on, but then other times it's a struggle.

Glyax

12-10-2015, 07:05 PM

lol indeed, now, that's not to say each of my titles is brillian, just that I don't have to struggle to find one haha :P I feel trying to struggle to find the best/most intriguing/witty title, usually fails. It's what comes natural that people generally are drawn to IMO.

Glass Valkyrie

12-10-2015, 08:56 PM

Yeah, that's a really good point. Unfortunately for my current project, nothing at all is coming to me. I am hoping that the further along I write and revise that eventually something will come and hit me on the head.

Glyax

12-10-2015, 09:04 PM

Yeah, that's a really good point. Unfortunately for my current project, nothing at all is coming to me. I am hoping that the further along I write and revise that eventually something will come and hit me on the head.

lol, wish I could help, but I suppose titles are also personal, it's the name you choose for your child, the name by which you want the world to know your hard work, that which you have created (and then your agent promptly changes it :P )

Glass Valkyrie

12-11-2015, 03:36 AM

They really are personal, that's true. On some of my stuff, I don't know how I would feel if an agent wanted to change it, but on others I would be a lot less likely to balk at it.

Yportne

11-06-2016, 01:17 AM

This is an older post, but I'm just beginning to get into flash fiction and the first thing I researched was ways to make my titles be like the story itself--short but powerful. For what's it's worth, here are the tips I'm currently using...

1- Accomplishes a lot in a few words--clever, unique, double meaning
2- Draws readers into your story by igniting their curiosity
3- Foreshadows coming attractions--characters in conflict, consequences of choices, closure from conclusion
4- Gives readers an emotional, situational context while they read
5- Gives them an “Aha!” when they see its relevance to the ending
6- Helps readers remember your story and recommend it to others
7- Points to a phrase that represents the most significant aspect of your story
8- Is similar to style and format of titles in publications you are targeting
9- Reflects a famous quotation, song lyric, historical event or line of poetry
10- Is the result of letting your working title die so your real title can live

Lapidar

03-07-2017, 01:47 AM

I like puns so I am usually trying for double entendres.

SandySimonton

04-20-2017, 03:48 AM

They come to me, I've seen enough titles to know what to call my own works!

divine-intestine

07-21-2017, 09:41 PM

Remember that the name consists of a few extra words that can strengthen the theme of your flash, without exceeding the word count.

AcaciaNeem

09-14-2017, 06:45 AM

To me, a title must add something to the flash, provide additional insight, foreshadowing, or a clarification of the premise. A story I shopped around for months (years, really) without success, went on to be win a special mention on a big award once I changed its title. It now lives in a beautiful anthology. The title spoke about the way the story was supposed to be seen--an exploration of how imagination is a labyrinth where stories can nestle within stories.

If stuck, I find that listing down snippet phrases from the story itself often helps.

All the best with your flash, and its title.

Gunpowder Nash

01-04-2018, 10:09 PM

Remember that the name consists of a few extra words that can strengthen the theme of your flash, without exceeding the word count.
Great thought! Now I can give a nice long title (and maybe even a long sub-title) to my flash fiction and keep it flash!

divine-intestine

06-26-2018, 06:48 PM

Great thought! Now I can give a nice long title (and maybe even a long sub-title) to my flash fiction and keep it flash!

Don't overdo it with the title though. With the title comes expectations. In general, I'd say use a longer title if it's a comedy and a shorter if it's thriller/suspense/action.